Blockage of Water Channel in West Jakarta's Tambora: 42.5 Tonnes of Rubbish Removed by Officials and Residents

JAKARTA - Dozens of tonnes of piled-up rubbish blocked the water flow in the Connecting Channel (PHB) on Jalan Moh. Mansyur, specifically in front of Mitra Market, Jembatan Lima, Tambora, West Jakarta.

A joint team of officials and residents transported 42.5 tonnes of sedimented rubbish from the channel during a community work programme on Tuesday (21/4/2026).

Tambora Sub-District Head Pangestu Aji stated that the removal of dozens of tonnes of rubbish was part of an integrated community work effort to normalise water flow.

Pangestu explained that the cleaning action was an initiative to restore the channel, which had been covered by rubbish and caused unpleasant odours.

A total of 130 personnel from the Water Resources Unit (UPS) of the Water Agency and 35 community representatives participated directly in the water channel.

To speed up the transportation, officials deployed a total of three small excavators, one arm roll truck, and a pickup van.

Head of the UPS for the West Jakarta Water Agency, Dadang Cahya Rusdiana, confirmed that the condition of the waste pile-up at the location was quite severe.

“The condition is indeed that the PHB in front of Mitra Market in Tambora has a lot of rubbish and also sediment,” said Dadang when met separately at the location on Tuesday.

He revealed that the blockage of the water channel was inseparable from the lack of public awareness of the environment.

This is because the sedimented waste was dominated by land rubbish that was deliberately thrown into the water channel.

“This rubbish comes from the land. Many residents might still throw rubbish into the river, throw rubbish into the PHB,” he said.

In addition to residents, Dadang highlighted the activities of the market around the location, which contributed the most to the rubbish accumulation.

“If we look at the condition every day from noon, afternoon to night, the rubbish is indeed also from the traders above that PHB,” said Dadang.

After the water surface is clear of rubbish, the subsequent dredging of mud sediment will be carried out by the West Jakarta Water Resources Sub-Department (SDA).